Information reproducing system having means for preventing a breakdown thereof caused by abnormal conditions

ABSTRACT

An information recording medium reproducing system has an insertion opening, a recording medium storing portion and a medium carrying device. Photodetectors are provided for detecting passing of the recording medium and for producing a passing signal when the medium passes. A controller is provided for controlling operation of the medium carrying device. The controller applies a discharge signal to the medium carrying device when the passing signal is not produced within a predetermined time, whereby the medium carrying device is actuated in discharge operation.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 10/412,575 filedApr. 14, 2003, which in turn is a Continuation Application of Parentapplication Ser. No. 09/427,588 filed Oct. 27, 1999. The disclosure ofthe prior applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a system for reproducinginformation recorded on an information recording medium.

[0003] The applicant of this patent application has provided aninformation reproducing system disclosed in Japanese Patent Applications10-107265 and 10-107266.

[0004] In the system, an opening is formed at a front panel of a housingfor inserting and discharging an optical disc. In the housing, there isprovided a plurality of trays for storing recording mediums, a clampmechanism for positioning the recording medium, and a pickup for readingrecorded information.

[0005] The trays are stacked and disposed adjacent the opening, andvertically moved so as to position a desired tray at the opening and theclamp mechanism.

[0006] When a user instructs a desired tray, the tray is automaticallypositioned at the opening. When the user inserts an information recordedmedium in the opening, the information recorded medium is automaticallystored on the tray. Thereafter the stack of trays is vertically moved toa waiting position.

[0007] When the user instructs a desired recording medium stored in atray, the tray is moved to the clamp mechanism, and the informationrecorded on the recording medium is reproduced by the pickup and areproducing device.

[0008] When the user instructs to discharge a recording medium, the traystoring the recording medium is moved to the opening and the recordingmedium is discharged from the opening.

[0009] If the user inserts a foreign object in the opening or arecording medium is stuck in the device, and the tray is moved in such acondition, the device may break.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a system forreproducing information recorded on an information recording mediumwhich may prevent the breakdown of the system caused by abnormalconditions.

[0011] According to the present invention, there is provided aninformation recording medium reproducing system having an insertionopening, a recording medium storing portion and a medium carryingdevice, the system comprising, instructing means for instructinginsertion of the medium in the system, detecting means disposed betweenthe insertion opening and the recording medium storing portion fordetecting passing of the recording medium and for producing a passingsignal when the medium passes, control means for controlling operationof the medium carrying device, the control means being provided forapplying a discharge signal to the medium carrying device when thepassing signal is not produced within a predetermined time after theinsertion instruction, whereby the medium carrying device is actuated indischarge operation.

[0012] The control means is provided for generating a warning signal forgiving a user warning of abnormality when the passing signal is notproduced within the predetermined time.

[0013] The detecting means comprises a plurality of photodetectors.

[0014] The photodetectors are disposed for discriminating kinds of therecording mediums.

[0015] These and other objects and features of the present inventionwill become more apparent from the following detailed description withreference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a fixed chassis;

[0017]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a movable chassis;

[0018]FIG. 3 is a side view of the pickup;

[0019]FIG. 4 is a plan view of the pickup and the clamp mechanism;

[0020]FIG. 5 is a plan view of a tray;

[0021]FIGS. 6a and 6 b are plan views showing the tray and a CD;

[0022]FIG. 7a is a plan view of a disc carrying mechanism;

[0023]FIG. 7b is a front view thereof;

[0024]FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an arrangement of photodetectors;

[0025]FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of a control circuit; and

[0026]FIG. 10 shows a flowchart of a program in a controller.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0027] Referring to FIG. 1, the system of the present invention has apair of disc carrying mechanisms 1 and 2, a clamp mechanism 3, a pickup4, a pair of shafts 6 a and 6 b mounted on a fixed chassis 5.

[0028] Referring to FIG. 2, there is provided a vertically movablechassis 7, a pair of driving plates 8 and 9 for moving the movablechassis 7, sway members 10, 11, 12 and 13.

[0029] A disc detecting switch HSW is provided at an end portion of thepickup 4.

[0030] At lateral both sides with respect to the disc carrying directionX, vertical plates 14, 15, 16 and 17 having guide grooves 14 a, 15 a, 16a and 17 a are extended from the fixed chassis 5. Engaging pins 14 b and17 b are provided on upper portions of the plates 14 and 17 at theoutsides thereof, and engaging pins 15 b and 16 b are provided on lowerportions of plates 15 and 16.

[0031] On both sides of the movable chassis 7, side plates 18 and 19 areformed to be slid on the plates 14, 15, 16 and 17. Cam holes 18 a, 18 b,19 a and 19 b are formed in the side plates 18 and 19. Pins 18 c, 18 d,19 c and 19 d are provided on the outside of the plates 18 and 19.

[0032] In the driving plate 8, a pair of stepwise cam holes 8 a and 8 band a pair of guide holes 8 c and 8 d are formed. In the driving plate9, a pair of stepwise cam holes 9 a and 9 b and a pair of guide holes 9c and 9 d are formed. The cam holes 8 a, 8 b and cam holes 9 a, 9 b areinclined in the opposite directions, and guide holes 8 c, 8 d and guideholes 9 c, 9 d are reversely disposed in height.

[0033] In the sway plates 10, 11, 12 and 13, notches 10 a, 11 a, 12 aand 13 a are formed. On the sway plates 12, 13, there is providedsupport pins 12 c, 13 c to be engaged with holes 19 e, 19 f of the sideplates 19, and engaging pins 12 b, 13 b to be engaged with cam holes 19a, 19 b formed in the side plate 19. Each of the sway plates 10, 11 hasthe same support pin and engaging pin as the sway plate 12.

[0034] The sway plates 10, 11, 12 and 13 are rotatably mounted on theside plates 18, 19 so as to be swayed about the holes 18 e, 18 f, 19 eand 19 f by the cam holes 18 a, 18 b, 19 a and 19 b.

[0035] Engaging pins 18 c, 18 d, 19 c and 19 d engage with guide grooves14 a, 15 a, 16 a and 17 a so that the movable chassis 7 is verticallymoved. Ends of the pins 18 c, 18 d, 19 c, 19 d extended from the guidegrooves 14 a, 15 a, 16 a, 17 a are engaged with cam holes 8 a, 8 b, 9 a,9 b of the driving plates 8, 9, respectively. The pins 14 b, 15 b, 16 band 17 b are slidably engaged with guide holes 8 c, 8 d, 9 c, 9 d of thedriving plates 8, 9.

[0036] The driving plates 8, 9 are horizontally move in the oppositedirections by a driving device (not shown), so that the movable chassis7 is vertically moved by the stepwise cams 8 a, 8 b, 9 a, 9 b.

[0037] The sway places 10, 11, 12, 13 are swayed by the cam holes 18 a,18 b, 19 a, 19 b.

[0038] The pickup 4 is rotatably mounted on the movable chassis 7 by theengagement of a hole 21 with a shaft 20 on the chassis.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 1, a drive pin 24 is engaged with a guide hole22 of the movable chassis 7 and with an elongated hole 23 of the pickup4. By moving the drive pin 24, the pickup and the clamp mechanism 3 arerotated about the shaft 20.

[0040]FIG. 3 is a side view of the pickup 4, and FIG. 4 is a plan viewof the pickup and the clamp mechanism 3.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 3, a drive motor 4 a is provided in a case ofthe pickup 3. On the rotating shaft of the motor 4 a, a turntable 4 b issecured for mounting a CD. A carriage 4 c is also provided in the case,on which a pickup body (not shown) is mounted.

[0042] The clamp mechanism 3 is pivotally mounted on the pickup 4 by ahinge 4 d and has clamp portion 3 a for clamping the CD on the turntable4 b.

[0043] The clamp mechanism 3 is pivoted as shown by numeral 3′ in FIG. 3for loading the CD on the turntable 4 b. Further, the clamp mechanism 3and pickup 4 are rotated as shown by dot-dash lines in FIG. 4 forreproducing the CD.

[0044]FIG. 5 is a plan view of a tray, and FIGS, 6 a and 6 b are planview showing the tray and the CD.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 5, a tray 25 has a disc supporting plate 25 ahaving a V-shaped notch 25 h. On the both sides of the plate 25 a, thereis provided a pair of holes 25 b, 25 c in which shafts 6 a, 6 b (FIG. 1)are to be engaged, engaging pins 25 d, 25 e, 25 f and 25 g to which swayplates 10, 11,12, 13 (FIG. 2) are engaged, and recesses 25 i, 25 j forpreventing the carrying mechanisms 1, 2 from contacting with the tray25.

[0046] In the V-shaped notch 25 h, the pickup 4 and clamping mechanism 3are to be positioned as shown by the dot-dash lines in FIG. 4 at thereproduction of the CD.

[0047] In the present embodiment, six trays 25 are stacked and supportedby the shaft 6 a, 6 b (FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0048] An elevating mechanism (not shown) is provided to be engaged withside plates 25 de and 25 fg of a lowermost tray so as to elevate thestack of the trays along the shafts 6 a, 6 b.

[0049] Referring to FIGS. 6a and 6 b, in the recess 25 i, 25 j (FIG. 5),the disc carrying mechanisms 1, 2 are disposed. The disc carryingmechanisms are positioned toward the tray in the operating state asshown in FIG. 6a, and retracted in the non-operating state as shown inFIG. 6b when the trays are vertically moved.

[0050]FIG. 7a is a plan view of the disc carrying mechanism, and FIG. 7bis a front view thereof.

[0051] The disc carrying mechanism 1 comprises a rotating shaft 1 bhaving a roller 1 a made of rubber, a support frame 1 c for supportingthe shaft 1 b, a driving shaft 1 d rotatably mounted on the fixedchassis 5 and an engaging plate 1 f.

[0052] The shaft 1 d is connected to the shaft 1 b by a worm 1 h andworm wheel 1 i, and connected to a rotating shaft of a motor 26 by apulley 1 g and a belt 27. The shaft id is further connected to a pulley2 g (FIG. 2) of the carrying mechanism 2 by a belt 28.

[0053] The frame 1 c is rotatably mounted on the shaft 1 d andvertically swingably mounted at an end 1 j. The engaging plate if isurged by a spring 1 k to the roller 1 a so as to grip the CD togetherwith the roller 1 a to carry the disc.

[0054] Thus, the rollers 1 a, 2 a are rotated, and the engaging plates 1c and 2 c are swung by the motor 26, thereby carrying the CD inserted inthe front opening to the turntable and discharging the disc.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 8, there is provided three photodetectors P1,P2, P3 for detecting the size of the CD. The detectors P1 and P2 aredisposed at a distance smaller than the diameter of the 8 cm disc CD1,and detectors P1 and P3 are disposed at a distance larger than thediameter of 8 cm disc CD1 and smaller than the diameter of the 12 cmdisc CD2. Thus, the discs CD1 and CD2 can be discriminated.

[0056]FIG. 9 shows a control circuit 29. As shown in FIG. 9, each of thephotodetectors P1 to P3 is composed by a light emitting diode and aphoto-transistor connected between Vcc and the ground GND.

[0057] When the CD passes between the photodetectors P1-P3, voltages atresistors R1, R2 and R3 change to provide signals S1, S2 and S3 whichare applied to a controller 30 so that the existence and the size of theCD are detected.

[0058] There is provided instruction switches 32 a-32 f for instructingthe addresses of six trays 25, a cancel switch 32 g for canceling theaddress instruction, a driving circuit 33 for driving the motor 26 and atimer 31.

[0059] The operation of the system is described with reference to FIG.10 showing a flowchart of a program in the controller 30.

[0060] At a step 100, it is determined whether the address number of thetray 25 is instructed by operating one of the switches 32 a-32 f, andthe instructed tray is positioned to the inserting opening by theelevator mechanism (step 101). At a step 102, the door of the opening isopened and the program timer 31 is started (step 103).

[0061] At a step 104, it is determined whether the signal S1 of thefirst photo-detector P1 becomes logic H which means a normal medium isinserted in the opening. If H, the program proceeds to a step 105, if L,the program goes to a step 109. At the step 105, the motor 26 isoperated to rotate the roller 1 a, 2 a in the feeding direction.

[0062] At a step 106, it is determined whether there is an abnormalcondition based on the signals S1-S3. If there is no abnormality, thedisc is inserted (step 107). The completion of the disc insertion isdetected by the switch HSW, and the motor 26 is stopped. The tray stackis vertically moved to position the desired disc at a waiting positionor to reproduce the disc (step 108).

[0063] At the step 109, it is determined whether a first set time, forexample, 4 seconds, elapses. If the time elapses at the step 109, or ifthere is abnormality at the step 106, the rollers 1 a, 2 a are rotatedin the reverse direction at a step 120. If the set time does not elapseat the step 109, it is determined whether the instructed address set atthe step 100 is canceled by the cancel switch 32 g of FIG. 9 (step 133).If canceled, the rollers 1 a, 2 a are reversely rotated (step 120).

[0064] At a step 121, it is determined whether all output signals S1-S3of the photodetectors P1-P3 are logic L because of the reverse rotationof rollers 1 a, 2 a. If it is the case, it is determined that a foreignobject does not exist. Thereafter, a second time (500 msec) is set inthe timer 31 at a step 122, and it is determined whether the second timeelapses at a step 123. If not, a foreign object is reconfirmed at thestep 121. If yes, the rollers 1 a, 2 a are stopped (step 124) and thedoor closed (step 125). When the door is normally closed at a step 126,the CD is positioned at the waiting position or reproduced (step 128).If the door is normally closed, the door is opened (step 127), and theprogram is returned to the step 120.

[0065] When all signals S1, S2 and S3 are not logic L at the step 121,the reverse rotation is continued (step 129) and then the rotation isstopped (step 130).

[0066] At a step 131, the exist of a foreign object is reconfirmed. Whena foreign object is confirmed, warning is displayed and/or alarm isemitted at a step 132, and the operation of the device is stopped.

[0067] In accordance with the present invention, when insertion of adisc is not detected after the elapse of a predetermined time, disccarrying rollers are rotated in the reverse direction. In addition,after the elapse of the time, since the carrying rollers are reverselyrotated, a disc and a foreign object cannot be inserted in the device.

[0068] While the invention has been described in conjunction withpreferred specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that thisdescription is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of theinvention, which is defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is
 1. A system for reproducing a recording medium,comprising: an insertion opening; a storing device for storing therecording medium; a carrying device having rollers for carrying therecording medium; an instructing section outputting an insertioninstruction of inserting the recording medium into the system; aninsertion detector, which is disposed between the insertion opening andthe rollers, detecting the recording medium inserted in the insertionopening; and a controller controlling the carrying device in response tothe insertion instruction and a detection signal produced by theinsertion detector, wherein the controller controls the carrying deviceto charge the recording medium within a first predetermined time whenthe insertion detector detects the recording medium after the insertioninstruction is output, such that the carrying device is actuated in acharge operation, wherein the controller controls the carrying device todischarge the recording medium when the insertion detector does notdetect the recording medium within the first predetermined time afterthe insertion instruction is output, such that the carrying device isactuated in a discharge operation, and wherein the controller continuesthe discharge operation of the carrying device for a secondpredetermined time when the carrying device is actuated in the dischargeoperation.
 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controllergenerates a warning signal for giving user warning of an abnormalitywhen the insertion of the recording medium is not detected within thefirst predetermined time.
 3. The system according to claim 1, whereinthe controller generates a discharge signal when the insertioninstruction is cancelled.
 4. The system according to claim 1, whereinthe detecting means further detects an abnormal condition and producesan abnormality signal, the control means responds to the abnormalitysignal to generate the discharge signal.
 5. The system according toclaim 1, wherein the insertion detector comprises a plurality ofphotodetectors.
 6. The system according to claim 5, wherein theplurality of photodetectors are disposed for discriminating kinds of therecording medium.
 7. The system according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a moving device for positioning a desired medium of mediastored in the storing device at the insertion opening.
 8. The systemaccording to claim 7, wherein the moving device operates in response tothe insertion instruction of the instruction section.
 9. The systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the moving means operates in response tothe instruction of the instruct means.
 10. The system according to claim3, wherein the controller generates the discharge signal when theinsertion instruction is cancelled within the first predetermined timeso that the carrying device is actuated in the discharge operation. 11.The system according to claim 3, wherein the controller continues thedischarge operation of the carrying device for a second predeterminedtime.
 12. The system according to claim 1, further comprising: recordingmedium mounting sections provided in the storing device for storing aplurality of media; a moving device for vertically moving the recordingmedium mounting sections in the storing device; and a positioning devicefor positioning the recording medium mounting section having a desiredmedium at the insertion opening.